Former President Alvaro Uribe will not pursue criminal charges against the Medellin judge who ordered an investigation into his alleged links with paramilitaries, local media reported Thursday.
Magistrate Ruben Dario Pinilla earlier this month said that testimonies given before the court by seven former members of paramilitary organization AUC, victims and witnesses provide enough merit for a formal accusation for “parapolitics,” or the use of paramilitary forces for political gain.
MORE: Medellin court orders Congress, Supreme Court to charge Uribe for paramilitary ties
Initially, the former President threatened to sue Pinilla, defending himself via social media outlet twitter. But it now appears Uribe has somewhat softened his stance.
MORE: Uribe threatens to sue judge who ordered ‘parapolitics’ investigation
According to his lawyer Jaime Granados, the former President has asked him to keep a “cool head” and maintain respect for the institutions of justice, deciding that the most appropriate course of action would be to go through the “procedural mechanisms of the process itself.”
Grenados however, insisted that “we must reject these unsubstantiated claims, where there exists research and evidence in our favour.” He continued, labelling the judge’s request nothing more than a “political outburst.”
Sources
Uribe no denunciará a magistrado del Tribunal Superior de Medellín (CM&)
